newbobooks Chapter 297 Rebirth
Chapter 297 Rebirth
Behind a military prison, beneath a massive wall, a dozen men stood in a row, each flanked by two military police. A judge read the final verdict, surrounded by reporters, military representatives, and other people from all walks of life. As overseers of the execution, they would witness the final fate of these men.
Following the individual opinions expressed during the pre-verdict questioning, they unanimously chose execution by firing squad, a form of respect and freedom they had earned. After the judge pronounced the verdict, a reporter attempted to approach them for interviews, hoping to obtain their final words, but was stopped by the military police present. Then, the inmates filed into a line beneath the high wall, turning to face it and their backs to the crowd. With a loud shout from the firing squad officer, a series of crisp gunshots rang out, marking the official end of the Ximending Massacre.
After the gunshots, in a room a few dozen meters away from the execution wall, seven or eight people who were blindfolded and tied up were untied by the people who were detaining them, removed the black cloth covering their eyes, and then left the room one after another.
Zhang Jizhong opened his eyes, still a little confused. Wasn't he going to be executed today? According to the time, it should be the execution time. The burst of gunfire outside told him that someone had been executed before him. He prayed silently: Brother, you go first, and I will follow.
However, when he opened his eyes and took in everything, his confusion deepened. This was a sealed room, and he knew full well that he had chosen execution by firing squad, which shouldn't have happened in a room like this. Could it be that they had changed their minds and were going to hang him?
He looked around and saw that the place was empty, with no preparations for execution. The lieutenant, the company commander, and a few familiar faces were his good brothers and his companions on the journey. Like him, they were also very confused about all this and had no idea what was going on.
At that moment, a man in black walked in. His slender figure and casual steps gave everyone present a suffocating feeling. He walked in front of the crowd, holding a stack of freshly developed photos. He said to them, "You are already dead. These are photos of the execution process. Take a look."
Others did not know Liu Molong, but Zhang Jizhong, as Cai Yong's former personal guard, certainly knew that this was Cai Yong's eighth brother, and also a famous general of the Expeditionary Force, holding the rank of lieutenant general and commander of a group army of the Expeditionary Force.
Why was he here, dressed in black instead of a military uniform? He gave off a mysterious and eerie vibe. What was he trying to do? Why did he claim to be dead, and why were there photos of himself and others being shot? Could it be that those gunshots just now were the sounds of his execution? But we weren't being taken to the execution ground? Could it be that they were secretly preparing a plank road to replace us, regardless of the consequences?
Zhang Jizhong knew that even Yang Hong, the commander-in-chief of the garrison, would not dare to do such a serious incident. If exposed, it would have a fatal impact on the reputation of the flower-growing family. Zhang Jizhong was confused and could only mechanically take the photo and examine it carefully.
The photo showed Zhang Jizhong's face, followed by his being escorted to the high wall, the judge's verdict, and the execution. It was so vivid that Zhang Jizhong felt a little dazed. Could he really be dead? Was this his own soul?
After Liu Molong, Zhang Jizhong, and the others finished looking at the photos, they waved their hands, and several more people dressed in black walked in. They held a stack of files in their hands. One of them stood beside General Liu and, at General Liu's signal, opened the file. A solemn and clear voice rang out in the room:
Zhang Jizhong, male, 31 years old, married and widowed, Lieutenant Colonel of the Marine Corps, Commander of the Xth Regiment, 113st Division, 201th Army;
Ma Guoliang, male, 25 years old, unmarried, Lieutenant of the Marine Corps, Commander of Company X, Xth Battalion, Xth Regiment, 113st Division, 201th Army;
Guo Huaidong, male,.........
With the loud and clear voice of the man in black, the identity, military rank, family, and other information of each person present were read out one by one. After the man in black finished reading, Liu Molong looked coldly at the people who seemed to be a little depressed. He asked softly, "Did anyone's name get called?"
Seeing these people hesitate to answer, the man in black who had just read out their files beside Liu Molong shouted, "Don't you understand? Answer!"
Zhang Jizhong and the others felt nervous, and out of military habit, they blurted out, "No."
Liu Molong was very dissatisfied with the weak answers of Zhang Jizhong and others. He took the file and began to call out the names of the people in the file one by one:
Li Jizhong, here!
As Liu Molong called the roll in a solemn and dignified manner, Zhang Jizhong was shocked and quickly stood at attention and saluted, then answered loudly.
Liu Molong stared at Zhang Jizhong in the photo for a full half minute before he let go of him and turned to look coldly at the next person. In just these short 30 seconds or so, Zhang Jizhong felt a cold sweat on his back. Was it more shocking than shooting himself?
Liu Molong read out the names of these people one by one from the file. With Zhang Jizhong taking the lead, the others followed suit subconsciously, responding to Liu Molong's roll call with a straight military posture and powerful answers, and then accepting his gaze as cold as an ice blade.
It was done. Liu Molong handed the file to the man in black and once again scanned the people before him. Although he felt a little dissatisfied, he knew that these people would be members of his black ops team in the future. In order to conceal their true identities, they would have to undergo plastic surgery and even more brutal training. Their life and death were firmly in his hands.
After scanning the crowd, he remained silent for several minutes, observing everyone's posture and expressions. After confirming that there were no abnormalities, he spoke coldly, "You are already dead. Your names no longer exist in this world. Dead and gone, at least, you did many things that flower growers want to do but can't. Whether you were a hero or a coward, you are already in the past and not worth remembering."
He then changed the subject, raising his voice, "But you've forgotten your identities as soldiers, your mission as flower-growing soldiers. I'm very dissatisfied! I even want to pick up a gun and execute you all again!"
"The Flower-Growing Soldiers are not cowards, nor are they beasts, much less killing machines! I am ashamed of your actions. You have thrown the Flower-Growing Soldiers' military integrity into the dirt, leaving it to be trampled upon. Don't you have a trace of shame or remorse?"
"You should feel lucky. The Flower Planting Family has gone through so much hardship, and right now, they need people. We are risking the reputation of the Flower Planting Family to bring you back from the clutches of death!"